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ARTICLE · 15 MAY 2018

Impending WHOIS Data Blackout Is Likely To Impede IP Enforcement

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC
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Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC

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On May 25, 2018, the European Union's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will take effect. While the regulations are a welcome change for many privacy advocates, they will introduce a new...

European UnionPrivacy
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC
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On May 25, 2018, the European Union's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will take effect. While the regulations are a welcome change for many privacy advocates, they will introduce a new set of challenges for brand owners seeking to enforce their intellectual property rights online by essentially disabling an important tool in a brand owner's arsenal. It appears increasingly likely that the WHOIS system, which makes the contact details of domain name registrants publicly available, will soon enter a months-long blackout period, since the publication of certain WHOIS data runs afoul of GDPR and any interim compliance model will not be fully operational by May 25.

GDPR

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